In order to meet future particulate emission standards for internal combustion (IC) engines, in particular diesel engines, manufacturers of diesel engines are using particulate filters (also referred to as particulate traps). Such particulate traps are typically placed downstream of the turbocharger turbine and remove solid particulate matter before it exits the exhaust system to the ambient environment. After a particulate trap collects particulates for a period of time, increasing the exhaust temperature to a suitable level cleans the trap (also known as regenerating) since the oxygen in the exhaust burns the accumulated carbon in the trap.
Particulate traps for diesel engines are typically relatively large and expensive, and regeneration under light load conditions is problematic because attaining the necessary exhaust temperature is difficult. The use of particulate traps for diesel engines operating under varying load conditions therefore is quite limited.
What is needed in the art is a diesel engine which uses a particulate trap to remove solid particulate matter from the exhaust emissions, with the trap being able to be regenerated under any load conditions on the engine.